Many of the long time readers know that Berkley invited me to put together a collection of short stories conceptualizing the idea that passion is often comprised of both pain and pleasure. The collection is printed in a flip format. The first 10 stories are printed one way and the second set of stories (11) are printed upside down. The idea is that you flip it to read it. Yes, it’s gimmicky, but apparently a very popular concept as it has worked well before for Berkley with its original flip collection called Master/Slave.

When I was first asked, I started emailing authors and asking them to contribute. I was turned down frequently because of time commitments, the type of story (i.e., too short) or that they didn’t write erotic stories. I wasn’t going to find 20 stories. I can’t remember who it was that recommended that I put out a submission call on Dear Author but I remember being skeptical. Really, you think people are going to want to submit for this? Lo and behold, people did want to submit. I ended up getting a little over 80 stories to read and 21 of them made it into the collection.

My goal was to create an eclectic and inclusive collection of shorts. These are really vignettes or scenes given that the stories only encompass about 5,000 words a piece. You can read more about the actual stories and the authors who contributed here. Some authors have never published before. I don’t know what their future publishing plans are. I definitely turned down some decent stories, some because I felt they weren’t sexy enough or that they were too similar to a story I had already included.

I haven’t talked much about the anthology on the site because I didn’t want readers to feel like I was abusing the blog in anyway, but one giveaway and one post isn’t going to drive you guys crazy, right?

Today I have invited the contributors to Agony & Ecstasy for a Q&A and I’ll be giving away 10 paper copies of the book to a random commenter. We’ll try to answer any questions you may have.

The book will be released in trade paperback on December 6, 2011 and ebook on the same date. The ebook should be without geographical limitations.

Update: Winners to the giveaway are as follows:

Leni

Missy_G

angel Graham

TaraR

Katherine

vita

Amy Kathryn

Ammy Belle

Kaetrin

Janice

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Jane Litte is the founder of Dear Author, a lawyer, and a lover of pencil skirts. She self publishes NA and contemporaries (and publishes with Berkley and Montlake) and spends her downtime reading romances and writing about them. Her TBR pile is much larger than the one shown in the picture and not as pretty.
You can reach Jane by email at jane @ dearauthor dot com

I think the idea of mixing reviewers with publishers is fascinating! Pat’s Fantasy Hotlist did something similar a while back. But I’m curious, isn’t the main reason publishers want to do this sort of thing that they want to use the platform of the blogger, reaching lots of people? OTOH, as you say, you don’t want to abuse your readers. So, how do you balance this?

I’m also curious about the process of the whole thing. How did you go about deciding on the cover, e.g.? Did you get to have a say in it? What about the order of the stories? I sometimes wonder what the publisher is thinking in that department–it mostly seems totally random and not thought-out in the least.

Actually, I want to start with a Jane question. How would you contrast reviewing/blogging vs. editing. Did it change any points of view? Were there any surprises?
I’m off to peruse the web-site for the collection…

@SandyW My “editing” was mostly just reading the submissions and acquiring the ones I thought fit into the collection so I don’t think it changed my view of reviewing/blogging, although I did only make minor suggestions for some of the stories.

@Selene I think my relationship with the DA readership is more important than one book, no matter how fun it was to put together and when Berkley came to me they never said, please advertise this on your blog a ton. I got the impression that they asked me to do it because I had been reading quite a bit of ero romance. I’ll definitely talk about it on the day of the release and I’ve talked about it during the submission process. I just didn’t want the readership to feel like all I was doing was talking about it.

I sent pictures from around the web about what I thought the book cover should look like and then I got the cover back which wasn’t really what I thought it should look like, but it’s grown on me. And frankly I had no real clear picture of what the cover *should* look like but Master Slave was dark and so I thought I would get a dark cover but I think this bright white will really stand out with its hot pink accents. I think it looks more inviting than the Master/Slave cover. (I could be wrong of course!)

I ordered the stories based on the type of story and how I thought it flowed.

The site is great. I sure hope there aren’t any geographical restrictions – so sick of being discriminated against because I don’t live in the US of A!
I definitely think this would be a good paper book for the cover(s) if not for any other reason!

I have two stories in the antho, featuring the same characters and one emotional arc. In one sentence: two nights, one couple, no more secrets.

The biggest challenge I faced was making each story work individually, yet link together for a solid emotional resolution. Each one had to stand on its own, so if a reader started with one she wasn’t bewildered, or worse, pissed off. Continuity was the next challenge, because each time I revised one of the stories I found something that would enhance the other story. In the end I hope the reader will enjoy them alone and as a complete tale.

That looks like a great anthology! I’m in awe of any one who can write a book, let alone a short story. I almost think that a short story/novella is harder b/c you have a constraint and have to keep it interesting.

1) Can you describe your story in a sentence or two? Two strangers forced to marry discover they might be meant for each other after all.

2) What was the biggest challenge for you in writing your anthology story? I admit it–no challenge. It was a delicious piece of cake to write. I loved the characters so much I decided if Jane rejected it, I’d expand it to at least a novella.

3) Who are your favorite authors in the romance genre and out of it? I’m a huge Loretta Chase fangirl. I read historical romance pretty much exclusively, altho I like historical fiction and mysteries as well (Jennifer Gardner, Deanna Raybourn, Bernard Cornwell).

I am so excited for publication, and really honoured to have been included.

And I *like* the flip format. It reminds me of the great SF books in the 1960s.

Now, on to the questions:1) Can you describe your story in a sentence or two? A new lover’s enthusiasm forces Priya to confront her kink for causing pleasurable pain.

2) What was the biggest challenge for you in writing your anthology story? Keeping it below the maximum word count? But, more seriously, balancing the erotic dimension with more mundane details about the characters’ particular lives and subcultures — student, skateboarder, knitter. Infodumps are my nemeses.

3) Who are your favorite authors in the romance genre and out of it? In the genre, I will always love Heyer, and more recently, I’ve quite enjoyed Meljean Brook’s Iron Duke work. Outside, I’m partial these days to Colson Whitehead (he has a new zombie novel out), Sarah Schulman, and Tayari Jones.

I’m so excited about the release this anthology. My first published story is in it. :) I also get a kick out of having the only M/M story to make the cut.

As for Janine’s questions…

1. A summary in one or two sentences: In the future, a few of society’s most desperate seek fame and fortune by signing up for a deadly tournament. During a pre-game exam, a young med tech and one of those gladiators make an unexpected connection.

2. The biggest challenge in writing it: Bringing it in under (or at least in the neighborhood of) the word count. I fell hard for these characters and couldn’t help wanting to keep telling their story. (That’s why I’ve been working on a sequel/continuation of their unlikely romance).

To any of the authors: Since these are described as vignettes or snippets, did you purposely write for this anthology or did you have a scene in your head/files that you had not been able to place in a fuller length title but was perfect for submission to this anthology?

I’m going to confess that I don’t like the back cover (well, I guess it could be the front cover, too.) The woman in all leather. But now the naked male torso…yum! I’ve had this on pre-order for months, MONTHS, I tell you. Can’t wait. Since mine will be in Kindle format I won’t get the cover anyway. Please don’t enter me in the drawing, @Jane.

The reason I love anthologies is because you get a little taste of authors you’ve maybe never tried before without the investment of purchasing a full-length novel. Everyone’s tastes are different.

Personally, I would buy this for the Anne Calhoun stories alone. She’s like potato chips for me…One just ain’t enough! The other wonderful authors are just a bonus.

Hi, everyone! Another contributor here (“Wetwire” is my story). I’m lucky enough to have a day off today, so I should be around all day. Thanks so much to Jane for setting this up (and for collecting such an awesome group of stories, of course).

So, starting off by answering Janine/Lily’s questions:

1) Summary: In the near future, a subculture of people lost in a world of technology feel little or no connection to their physical bodies. One of these people gets a message from an old friend of hers, and he offers her an experience where technology has the potential to bring her into a connection with her body that she never would have imagined.

2) Biggest challenge: I’d say just doing something new. I really wanted to push the envelope a bit in terms of this kind of story, and while I’ll let others tell me if I succeeded, I was genuinely attempting to be a little weird here. It was also a little tough to not get lost in world-building, and to remember that this ultimately had to be about two people and the special connection they forge.

3) Favorite authors: Salman Rushdie, William Gibson, Margaret Atwood, Stephen King, and Paolo Bacigalupi. Among many others. I also have a deep and abiding love for Dorothy Sayers.

@Amy Kathryn, I wrote specifically for the collection. But I’d been wanting to do some more erotic cyberpunk for a while (having done it a couple of times before), so I saw this as a prime opportunity.

@Jane: I definitely don’t think you’ve talked about it too much. I might have missed some posts, but I only recall one or two from way back. And as I said, I find this whole concept/experiment interesting, so I like reading about it.

Interesting about the cover! Like someone else said, I like the colors and such. Not too fond of the woman–she feels so over-the-top and, well, a bit like the standard cliche female domme.

@Selene: That’s good to hear. I actually have received much the same response via email so I am thinking of posting excerpts of each story and a little tidbit about why I choose the story for each day up to the release date.

First off, I’m thrilled to be part of this anthology. It’s a great opportunity, and it’s so awesome to see my story in the company of some authors I’ve long admired and the talented new authors I discovered by reading the final edits.

In answer @DA Janine/Lily Daniels‘s questions:1) Can you describe your story in a sentence or two?
I would say “Each Step Sublime” is The Little Mermaid re-imagined as a story about the pain and pleasure of love, but that description pretty much sums up the original, too. So instead I’ll say, “It’s The Little Mermaid told as a story of pain, pleasure, and love–this time without the downer ending!”

2) What was the biggest challenge for you in writing your anthology story?
The length. The original Hans Christian Andersen story is more than nine thousand words, but stories for A/E had to be around five thousand. I wanted to keep close to the original storyline and include as many original plot elements as possible while also adding an overtly sexual thread to the story. Achieving those goals forced me to weigh every word. It was a real challenge, but also great fun. I learned a lot in the process of writing it.

3) Who are your favorite authors in the romance genre and out of it?
This is a tough one. A few perennial favorites are Robin McKinley, Loretta Chase, Judith Ivory, Angela Carter, Meljean Brook, Kage Baker and Neal Stephenson. My latest fave, Megan Whalen Turner, is courtesy of another excellent recommendation from the fabulous Janine Ballard.

I heard about DA and about you only after the call for the anthology came :) Since then, I am a silent lurker in your blog – I kind of ensure I check out the posts at least once a day, read the comments..and kind of you know, love the various perspectives offered in a discussion. Umm..before I forget, I have really really read loads of books this year and found so many new-to-me authors after reading your reviews(though not all were positive, I still found the books interesting)!

Oh and the anthology, I guess you would have had a tough time picking 21 out of 80+ submissions :) But on the positive side, you got to read 80+ stories.. LOL!

This is the first time I’m hearing of the flip type books as well (see<–proof of how many new things I learn from here).. Have to keep an eye out for it next time….

And I guess I liked the woman in leather (or in another sense, she looks like a shadow girl to me) much better than the yummy torso ! Simply because, it shows that being covered can be sexy too ;)

Can't wait to read about each of the story, and your thoughts on them! omg! I'm really feeling like a kid waiting for a christmas present!

I only hope each of the 5K stories ends in a logical conclusion…I kinda can't read stories which leave me hanging (like a teaser)…

These little insights from the authors are fascinating—the short synopses, the very eclectic mix of genre (sci-fi, historical, contemporary), the intriguing titles (WETwire!!), the genesis of the story idea, and the very different takes on erotic pleasure/pain. Oh boy, a wooden horse, no less. It’s interesting to see these kinds of comments.

And it is also great to see first time authors getting such a wonderful platform. Could be some careers in the making!

Great concept for an anthology. This sounds like an amazing project for everyone involved…writers, editor, publisher, and readers!!!

Yay, questions! Okay, here’s my story The Wooden Pony in a sentence:
The exquisite pain brought about by Wooden Pony torture might just be everything that Natalie has been looking for – or perhaps it’s Eric who is everything she’s been looking for?

@Amy Kathryn, I also wrote The Wooden Pony specifically for this anthology. One of the authors in my local RWA chapter saw the call for submissions and since she knew I wrote BDSM erotic romance for Ellora’s cave, she suggested I send Jane something. I’m so glad I did – I’m very excited to be a part of this book! :)

@JK Coi: Another fascinating premise! And I think I said “a sentence or two” so you are in the clear.

@Bettie Sharpe: You are my critique partner and we both have stories in this anthology so perhaps I’m biased but for me “Each Step Sublime” is up there with “Ember” — those are my favorites of your works.

Lady Theodora must confess to her groom that after escaping death on the Titanic, she committed an indiscretion, but their wedding night takes an unexpected turn when Hugh reveals his own reasons for marrying Thea.

2) What was the biggest challenge for you in writing your anthology story?

Definitely the length. I could have easily made it three times as long. But I had fun challenging myself to see if I could fit this story into the short format.

Hello everyone! I’m another contributor. Echoing the others here, but I’m thrilled to be part of this anthology. I’m biased I know, but I loved the concept from the beginning, and it was wonderful to see the different takes (and the awesomeness) of the stories that ended up in the final book.

@DA Janine/Lily Daniels:
1) Can you describe your story in a sentence or two?
A young woman pushes her ex-boyfriend–and herself–to come to terms with what it is they both really desire.

2) What was the biggest challenge for you in writing your anthology story?
I’d have to go with time. I happened upon the (reminder) for the call for submissions less than two weeks from the deadline. I thought the concept sounded interesting, and I’d always wanted to try my hand at erotic romance, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. In the end, I think I had a day to spare. :-)

3) Who are your favorite authors in the romance genre and out of it?
Ooh, there are so many, but to mention just a few, Laura Kinsale, Judith Ivory, Megan Hart, Meredith Duran, Mary Balogh, Susanne Elizabeth Philips and Cara McKenna.

@Amy Kathryn:
I also wrote “Overtaken” specifically for the anthology.

[…] are some great comments, questions and answers going on over at Agony & Ecstasy Anthology Introduction and Giveaway. Ten paper copies of the erotic short story anthology will be given to randomly chosen commenters, […]

Hey, y’all! I, too, am a contributor to A/E, and I’ve had so much fun growing into my role as a “real” author in the past year since the anthology was announced.

To answer @Lily Daniels:
1. “Shameless” (set in 1859) is the story of a disillusioned young woman trapped in an awful relationship, and how one night at the Philadelphia Opera changes her life completely.
2. I really love the shorter formats of stories and novellas, so the hardest part of writing this, for me, was to make the concept of physical pain pleasurable (it’s not a theme I often utilize).
3. My favorite authors number almost too many to name, but, in this genre, I love everything Nalini Singh does, as well as Julie James, Cara McKenna, Jill Shalvis, Kresley Cole, Roxanne St. Claire, Eloisa James, Elizabeth Hoyt, and Meredith Duran.

@Amy Kathryn “Shameless” was written specifically for the anthology, like a majority of the authors here, but now that the setting is in my head, I wish I’d had more time/space to play with it.

@Jeannie I feel the same way about @Anne Calhoun’s stories! Hadn’t read her before the anthology, then went out and purchased her entire backlist. Her stuff is like crack.

Can you give us a memorable tv or movie scene that addresses the intersection of pain and pleasure. It doesn’t have to be BDSM related or explicitly erotic (although that’s fine). Just something that made you think, opened your eyes, or evoked an emotional reaction from you and has stuck with you.

One that comes to mind as a scene that made me think about pain was the first fight between Tyler Durden and the protagonist of Fight Club. (“I want you to hit me as hard as you can.”) Once you’ve watched the whole story (which I’d prefer not to spoil here) it becomes an even more complicated scene. But the twisted, playful joy they got out of hurting each other in that scene was something I found compelling and thought provoking, even on my first watch of the film.

@Ju Dimello That’s pretty cool. Thanks for letting me know. I hope you enjoy the anthology. I will tell you that not all stories have a conclusion. I included some that didn’t “end” because I liked the power or voice of the story. That said, there are only a couple that have a real open ending.

@Cameron Belle The scene I always think of is in the Robert Downey, Jr., version of “Sherlock Holmes.”

He’s bare-knuckle boxing (okay, there are hand-wraps, but whatever) with this big man and getting his ass handed to him, but then he catches a glimpse of Irene Adler. You can just see the adrenaline hit him as his brain clicks on, and suddenly the blood and bruises are working in his favor, and he quickly wins the fight. It’s not the same sort of visual intersection between pleasure and pain that’s in “Fight Club” or other pain-centric erotic-esque film scenes, but the Sherlock character is a little off to begin with — even when he moves like he’s sore, you can tell the moment the endorphins hit him. It’s not only great acting, it’s a nice representation of the of animalistic side of one’s nature, where pain and pleasure are tightly intertwined.

Biggest problem was that I felt that the sex was too prominent and that there was no emotionality in the story. Granted the stories are 5,000 words and were about sex but a good balance of sex/emotion was important. Another issue was originality. Some of the stories had a chick going to a club and being sucked on by a vamp. I’ve read that a ton before. I wanted something more unique. There were others I rejected because I found the setup and the sex kind of creepy. Others were just too bland.

As for the editorial / acquisition process, it was okay. It was time consuming and some of the stories were not so great. It’s not something I would have wanted to do without help and by that I mean this volume was further edited by Cindy Hwang and another copyeditor. I did suggest edits to some authors but most we took as is, so to speak. I loved finding really good stories. That is fun and akin to finding a hidden treasure as a reader and then sharing your love for that book with the greater reading world. Mostly I think it is time consuming and not something I would want to do as a living because you do have to read a lot bad to average stuff to find the good stuff.

I guess my attitude has changed a bit in that I am less interested, as a reader, in paying for rough drafts and unedited works. When I was invited to be part of the acquiring team for the digital line, I was initially super excited and said yes, but as I thought about it more and more over the summer, I realized that I didn’t really want to do it because I don’t really enjoy reading slush. I enjoy reading great edited books.

I also tried to suppress some of what my preferences were in bringing together a diverse collection such as including stories that didn’t have a conclusion. The romance reader in me balks at that but the stories that didn’t have a conclusion were so interesting I felt like it would be a shame to not include them. I also tried to stretch my boundaries. Wetwire by Sunny Moraine, for example, isn’t a book that I would have picked up had I read the back cover copy because it’s not in my regular reading library, but it is such a cool story and I am glad that I read it and I hoped that by sticking it with other more romance type of stories that others would read it and appreciate it for the fresh and different story that it is.

I’m so interested in what other readers think of this book, good and bad. I’m almost more interested in hearing where I missed the mark than where I hit the mark in part because obviously I already think all these stories in the collection are interesting and good or they wouldn’t be in the collection so I am avidly looking for real criticism from other readers.

@Cameron Belle: What a wonderful and thought-provoking question. With the caveats that these have to do more with emotional pain than with physical pain, that my taste in cinema is quirky and eclectic, and that I don’t shy away from sad endings when it comes to movies, here is a list of films that were powerfully evocative for me, painful and pleasurable to watch at the same time.

Blue and Red from Kieslowski’s Three Color trilogy. The trilogy should be watched in its entirety and in order (Blue, White, Red) for Red to have its full effect, though.

The Girl on the Bridge. Incredibly romantic French film about a knife thrower and the girl he throws his knives at.

In the Mood for Love. Hong Kong film about a man and woman who live in neighboring apartments and who fall in love after their spouses cheat on them with each other.

Thelma and Louise. Esp. the final scene.

The film adaptation of The Painted Veil.

The Sixth Sense

Waltz with Bashir. An Israeli film about war and PTSS done entirely in animation. Sounds like a terrible idea, but it’s great.

@Cameron Belle: Instead of movies or TV, what comes to mind is Billie Holiday’s version of the song “My Man” (originally, “Mon Homme”). The song is a litany of pain and wrongs, of all the suffering the singer has endured at the hands of her man. Though the singer claims to be helpless and despairing in the face of her love for her man, the matter-of-fact tone of the recitation reveals a perverse sort of pride at what she has suffered for love–at what she can and will endure.

The first time I heard it, I thought, “That is f***ed up.” And the second, time, too. The third time, I thought it was kind of fascinating. When I sat down to write a version of The Little Mermaid and tried to figure out the heroine’s motivations, I heard that song in my head.

OMG, just read @DA Janine/Lily Daniels‘s list. Girl on a Bridge is pretty great, and In the Mood for Love is one of my melancholy favorites.

@Jane: re: “Wetwire” – this story is such a good balance of sci-fi and erotic. I read a lot of sci-fi as well as romance, and I was just blown away by the way this story feels so fully a part of both genres. Since I also adore historical romance and fantasy, I really enjoyed the diversity of the stories in the collection–they covered every genre I read regularly, and gave me a taste of what I’ve been missing in other sub-genres, too.

@Cameron Belle: Great question. Yes yes yes to that scene in Fight Club–that’s a great scene on so many levels but especially on that one. Guh.

Other movies/scenes that spring to mind for me:

– The kiss scene in Blade Runner. It’s a very strange scene in a lot of ways; it’s a mishmash of fear, lust, loneliness, tenderness, rage… all the things that make for interesting love scenes. There’s an edge of pain/dominance in it that I’ve always found emotionally affecting.

– The branding scene in Jarhead. Another one where the emotion under the physical action is both immensely powerful and immensely complex.

– Keeping with the military theme, The Hurt Locker. The entire film is such an interesting meditation on the masochistic nature of war, and on how lethal danger can be addictive. There’s a lot of stuff about pleasure and pain tangled up in it.

– All of Secretary. I love that movie, and the idea that pain can be healing.

– And then pretty much all of Quills. Kind of trashy, all awesome, amazing scenes with Kate Winslet, and just when I think “it won’t go there” it totally goes there.

@Edie Harris How odd, the first movie I thought of was Sherlock Holmes, too, although I have to confess I held my hands over my eyes a lot when I watched it. But it was obvious he relished the pain, loved playing with fire/Irene and danced on the very edge–literally, on the bridge.

@DA Janine/Lily Daniels: I’ve enjoyed nearly all on your list also–all except Alison Richardson, but I’ll definitely be looking her up now! And I’m kicking myself for forgetting Patricia Gaffney. To Have and to Hold is one of my all-time favorite novels.

@Bettie Sharpe: Thanks so much, Bettie! I really appreciate that you feel that the story straddled genres successfully. I also agree that the diversity of this collection is one of the things that makes it especially awesome. I love that Jane didn’t shy away from taking some chances but really focused on quality above all else.

@Cameron Belle: Interesting question. The first that comes to mind is A History of Violence… and I can’t really explain why without spoiling the movie horribly, so anyone who hasn’t seen it, beware!

**** Spoiler space ****

Cronenberg put two sex scenes in that movie, one near the beginning where we see Viggo Mortensen’s character have sweet, nostalgic sex with his wife, with her dressed up as a cheerleeder (because they didn’t get to be young together). Then, much later, when she learns of his darker side and how he used to be a mob killer, they have sex again after a violent argument. At first, it almost seems like it will end up as rape BUT, there is this one moment where he pulls back, and you can just see him thinking “This is my wife, what the hell am I doing?”. He would have stopped their violent sex… but it’s she who pulls him back.

Meant to join in earlier but life intervened. Wanted to say I am thrilled to be in this anthology and very grateful to Jane for included me. I had so much fun writing my short, Just Say Yes, and wrote it specifically for this anthology. I was dying to write a workplace erotic romance and this gave me the chance. To answer the previous questions:

1) Can you describe your story in a sentence or two? Jane described it best back when she acquired it: It’s an office romance with a twist. It starts like this:

She craved this. Day after day, sitting in boring conference rooms and never-ending staff meetings, watching him explain and negotiate, she wanted him.

2) What was the biggest challenge for you in writing your anthology story? The length. Packing plot and sexiness into such a short space took some tinkering.

3) Who are your favorite authors in the romance genre and out of it? I still have great loyalty to the first three romance authors I ever read – Jayne Ann Krentz, Julie Garwood and Linda Lael Miller. I also love Jill Shalvis, Alison Kent, Lauren Dane, Anne Calhoun, Monica McCarty and whole bunch of others. Outside of romance I read a little bit of everything. My current favs are Gillian Flynn, Chevy Stevens and Rosamund Lupton.

I’m excited to read the variety that this anthology would offer… :) Especially since the stories are short.. it would be really quick and easy to read a few at a time…like eating M&M’s :) :dreamy sigh:

I’ve read Bettie Sharpe’s Cat’s Tale and loved it :) Can’t wait to see how she takes the story this time around!

I’m late to the game!! I was stuck at the evil day job and didn’t have access to DA.

I was thrilled and more than a little stunned that my story was selected to be a part of this anthology. To have my name in here with such amazing other authors is a true privilege.

1) Can you describe your story in a sentence or two?

Mine is the story of a man who needs to learn the fine line between pleasure and pain, and that the two are not mutually exclusive.

2) What was the biggest challenge for you in writing your anthology story?

Well, you see I had no intention on writing one. I’d heard about the call while I was in the middle of edits/writing/life and didn’t think I would have time. I took up the challenge when my good friend and critique partner JK Coi told me we were going to give it a shot…5 days before the deadline. The challenge was coming up with something fast!

@Cameron Belle: This is such a great question. I know that very early on, I fixated on Eartha Kitt’s Catwoman in the reruns of the Batman TV show: her swagger, sensuality, and the grip she keeps on her whip helped me understand the intersections between threatening violence and promising pleasure well before I knew any of those concepts.

Later, Mapplethorpe’s photographs and the sound of punk music – both of which were used as examples of the Decline of Western Civilization – demonstrated all over again the beauty and tenderness it’s possible to find in harshness and (apparent) brutality. Reading both Genet and Dennis Cooper had the same impression on me.

There’s also all the frustrated desire and athletic violence and shame on display in early seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, particularly Buffy and Faith’s relationship and Oz the werewolf’s arc. The anime Revolutionary Girl Utena also affected me, especially the contrast between the ritual of duelling and the chaotic emotions and violence around that ritual.

I have to second the nomination of In the Mood for Love. It’s the most restrained yet brutal depiction of yearning I’ve ever seen.

(of all days to have internet connection issues, it had to be today?! I’m glad there’s still a conversation going on.)

Anne Calhoun, Meljean Brook, Bettie Sharp, and Anne Calhoun again? I’m having such a fangirl moment that so many favorite authors are in one place. I’ve enjoyed reading the comments and look forward to this book. I love anthologies for finding new to me authors!

The flip book idea is gimmicky but I’ll admit to liking it. :) Sometimes those little details catch the attemtoion of someone who wouldn’t otherwise.

I’ve actually been wondering when you were going to do some promo Jane. lol I might not be the best judge of such things but we’re your readers I can’t be the only one who is thrilled you’ve got this great project to share with us. :D

@Leni: I tried to get a variety. I turned down a couple strong fem dom stories because I had already had three of them. I probably could have put together a really amazing collection of fem dom stories, but I think the appeal of that would not have been as broad.

I’ve only had time to read about half the comments so far, but @Jane, re your comment no. 47, yes please! I’d love to hear more about these stories and the process of how they came to be in the anthology as release day nears. Like Selene, the process is very interesting to me and I don’t feel you are ‘misuing’ DA at all.

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